Remote control device for electric switches.



VV/TNESSES PATENTED MAY '7, 1907. C, WRIGHT.

REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1905.

IINZ/ENTUF. GM i i krs/ar UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT WRIGHT, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO STAN- LEYELECTRIC MANUFACTURING coMrANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

I REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, i907.

Application filed April 12,1905. Serial No. 255,172.

To a whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GILBERT WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements inRemote Control Devices for E ectiic Switches, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to means for operating rheostats, regulators andthe like, and

has for its object the provision of a device controllable from a remotepoint for positively shifting a contact arm from one contact to another.

Although my invention is applicable to any rheostat or regulator or, infact, to any form of switch which it is desirable to control stoIpbetween contacts.

also

ca ing out my invention I have provided a rivmg mechanism for switchesof the character above noted which will operate with a step-by-stepmovement in either direction at will, the construction being such as torender possible long, positive steps. I rovide means whereby the arm islocked in position on each contact, it being impossible by any carelessmanipulation of the control switch for the contact arm after it startsin motion in either direction to stop until it is in position on thenext contact.

My invention is shown and described for purposes of illustration inconnection with a specific type of mechanism ca able of carrying it out,while the scope of tile invention is set forth in the claims annexed toand forming a part of this specification.

n the single figure of drawing I have shown in a somewhat diagrammaticway the mechanism embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a driving disk or wheel mountedon shaft 2. A contact arm 3 is fixedly mounted with reference to thesaid wheel and moves therewith. As my invention does not involve anyfeature of the switch itself, I have only shown it conventionally bymeans of the contact arm 3 and the clips 4 for engaging the Same. Thetwo mechanisms for driving the wheel 1 in o posite directions aresubstantially identica and I shall therefore describe only one of them.

I provide a solenoid 5 surrounded by an iron casing 6 having a core 7mounted to reciprocate within the solenoid. An arm 8 mounted formovement independently of wheel 1 on the shaft 2, has its free endprovided with a slot 9 engaging a in 10 on an extension of the core 7.The W eel 1 is rovided with slots 11, the number thereo being preferablythe same as the number of contacts on the Switch. A awl 12 is pivoted tothe outer extremity of t e arm 8 so that its free end may engage theslots 1 1. This pawl is normally held out of engagement with the slotsby a pin 13 which is fixed with relation to the moving parts of themechanism. A spring 14 tends to force the pawl into engagement with theslot, but the pawl is beveled at 15 so that as it is moved upward it ispermitted to engage with the slot. A bridging contact 16 is looselymounted on and insulated from the core extension, the latter beingprovided with two collars 17 and 18 for engaging the said contact.

For closing the circuit of the solenoid 5 I have rovided a relay 19composed of a solenoi 20 havin a core 21 with bridging contact bars 22an 23, respectively, at its upper the contacts 24 and 25 energizing theSolenoid 5, while bridging the contacts 25 and 26 energizes the solenoid20. Another solenoid 27 has a core 28 which acts as a dog to engage theslots 11 in the wheel. This solenoid IS lIl series with the solenoid 5and is energized simultaneously therewith. A spring 29, the tension ofwhich is adjusted by means of a screw 29, forces the core 28 into engaement, while the solenoid, when it is ener ize draws it up to unlock thewheel. Anot er solenoid 30 operates upon the core 28 when the mechanismto the right of the drawing is used for shifting the switch in theopposite direction.

. the contact.

The arrangement of the circuits is as follows: 31 and 32 are the leadsfrom the generator G. When the control switch 33 is closed on thecontact 34, the circuit is completed as follows: from lead 32 to switch33, contact 34, wire 35, bridging contact 23, through solenoid 20, wire36, bridging contact 16, back to lead 31. When the solenoid 20 isenergized the core 21 is drawn up, 0 ening the circuit at bridge 23 andbridging t e contacts 24, 25 and 26 with the bridge 22. The path of thecurrent will now be as follows: from lead 32 to contact 24, throughbridge 22 to contact 25, thence to wire 37, solenoid 27, solenoid 5, andback to the line. At the same time the bridging of the contacts 25 and26 closes a branch circuit through wire 39, solenoid 20, thence throughwire 36, bridge contact 16, back to the line. By this arrangement it isimmaterial for how long a time the switch 33 is closed on the contact34, for even if this switch is o ened immediately, the solenoid 20 willsti 1 remain energized through the circuits just described. Upon theenergization of solenoid 27 the dog 28 is drawn up out of engagementwith the slot 11, thereby unlocking the wheel 1. At the same time thesolenoid 5 Which is in series with solenoid 27 is energized, drawing upthe core 7 and with it the arm 8. As the arm is drawn up the pawl '12 isforced inward by the spring 14 engaging the adjacent slot and carryingit upward. This movement continues until the collar 1.8 engages thebridge contact 1.6 and lifts it to break the circuit, a pair of clips 16retaining it in raised position. Upon this circuit being broken, thesolenoids 5 and 27 are de-energized, allowing the core 7 and arm 8 todrop by gravity until the collar 17 in its descent engages the bridge 16to again close At the same time when the solenoid 27 is de-energized,spring 29 forces the dog 28 into engagement with the adjacent slot 11 tolock the wheel in place. When the collar 17 in its downward movementengages the bridge 16, to close the circuit of the solenoid 20, if theswitch 33 remains closed the operation just described will be repeatedand will continue this step-by-step motion as long as the switch is heldin a closed position. If the switch 33 is moved to the right onto thecontact 40 a duplicate mechanism, above referred to, will be. operatedto shift the wheel 1 in the opposite direction, the mechanism and thearrangement of circuits being identical to that above described.

It will be seen from the arrangement just described that it will beinpossible by a careless manipulation of the operator, for the wheel 1,and therefore the switch arm 3 connected therewith, to stop after it isonce started in motion until it'has completed a step by movin onto thenext contact. Moreover, the whee is locked in this position and cannotbe moved therefrom until the control switch is again closed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is,

1. The combination with a switch arm, of electromagnetic means foradvancing the same step-by-step, means for locking said switch at theend of each step, and electromagnetic means energized simultaneouslywith the energizing of the operating means for unlocking the same.

2. The combination with a rotary switch arm, of electromagnetic meansfor operating the same step-by-step, means for locking said switch atthe end of each step, electromagnetic means for unlocking the same, andelectromagnetic means for closing the circuit of said operating and saidunlocking means simultaneously and maintaining them closed until the endof the step.

3. The combination with a rotary switch, of means for operating the samestep-bystep, comprisin an electromagnetic driving means, a contro switchtherefor, and electromagnetic means controlled by said switch foropening said control circuit and simultaneously closing a circuitthrough said driving means and maintaining it closed until the end of astep.

4. The combination with a normally locked rotary switch, of means foroperating the same step-by-step, comprising electromagnetic unlockingmeans, driving means for said switch, a control switch, andelectromagnetic means controlled by said switch for opening said controlcircuit and simultaneously closing a circuit through said unlocking anddriving means and maintaining it closed until the end of the step.

5. The combination with a rotary switch, of means for operating the samestep-by-step in either direction, comprising a disk, solenoids havingcores mounted to move in straight lines on opposite sides of said disk,and ratchet driving connections between said disk and said cores.

6. The combination with a rotary switch, of an operating disk therefor,oppositely dis- -posed solenoids having cores mounted to reciprocate onopposite sides of said disk, and ratchet drivin connections between saidcores and said isk.

7. The combination with a rotary switch arm and driving wheel therefor,of means for giving the same a ste bystep movement, comprising a solenoiand core therefor mounted to reci rocate adjacent the peiiphcry of saidwhee ratchet driving connections between said core and said wheel, meansfor closing an electric circuit through said solenoid, and means forbreaking sai circuit when the core reaches a predetermined limit ofmovement. I

8. The combination with a rotary switch arm and wheel therefor, of meansfor drawn upward to, a predetermined limit of IO giving the same astep-by-ste movement, movement.

comprising a solenoid, a core t erefor adja- In witness whereof, I havehereunto set my cent to said wheel mounted to be drawn into hand, thiseighth day of April, 1905. said solenoid when the latter is energlzedand GILBERT ,RIGHT to descend by gravity when it is de-energized,ratchet driving connections between said Witnesses: core and said wheel,and means for breaking F. M. PLATT,

- the circuit of said solenoid when the core is THOMAS E. OAssIDY.

